MBA entrance exam
GMAT: Exam Pattern, Dates, Eligibility and Fees
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test - GMAT Exam) is conducted by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) and is used for business schools worldwide, and some Indian programmes, including SPJIMR's PGDM and several one-year programmes. Test dates: Year-round, on-demand (test center and online appointments). It has 3 sections in 135 minutes. Every detail below links to the official notice it comes from.
By ProCounsel Editorial TeamReviewed by ProCounsel counselling teamLast updated 12 Nov 2026
Official sources only · last verified 12 Nov 2026
Official GMAT websiteWhat are the important GMAT dates?
| Test dates | Year-round, on-demand (test center and online appointments)Source: GMAT Exam Scores (GMAC)· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Score reporting | Unofficial scores on screen right after the exam; Official Score Report about 3-5 days later (online exam, per GMAC)Source: GMAT Exam Scores (GMAC)· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
All MBA 2027 admission deadlines, with colleges’ own application dates
What is the GMAT exam pattern?
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Reasoning | 21 | 45 min |
| Verbal Reasoning | 23 | 45 min |
| Data Insights | 20 | 45 min |
| Total time | 135 min |
Marking: Total score 205-805, and every total ends in 5. Each section is scored 60-90, and the three sections count equally toward the total. Each section score depends on the number of questions answered, whether the answers are correct, and the difficulty and other parameters of those questions. In Data Insights, every part of a multi-part question must be correct to earn credit. No negative marking per question is stated.
The exam lasts 2 hours 15 minutes and includes an optional 10-minute break after the first or second section. Test takers pick the section order. A calculator is available only in Data Insights. Totals cannot be compared directly with 10th Edition scores (200-800); compare using percentiles instead.
Source: GMAT Exam Scores (GMAC)· last verified 11 Nov 2026
What does GMAT test?
- Quantitative Reasoning: Problem Solving questions on algebraic and arithmetic foundational knowledge and how it is applied to solve problems (no calculator)
- Verbal Reasoning: Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning - reading and comprehending written material and reasoning about and evaluating arguments
- Data Insights: Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation and Two-Part Analysis - analyzing and interpreting data and applying it to real-world business scenarios (on-screen calculator available)
Who can take GMAT, and how is it run?
| Exam cycle | GMAT Focus Edition (2026)Source: GMAT Exam Scores (GMAC)· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Conducted by | Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)Source: GMAT Exam Scores (GMAC)· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Mode | Computer-adaptive. Taken at a test center or online with a human proctor; both versions have the same structure, number of questions, timing, scoring algorithm and score scale.Source: GMAT Exam Policies and Procedures (test center and online), Oct 2024 PDF· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| How often it is held | Up to 5 attempts (test center and online combined) in a rolling 12-month period, with at least 16 days between attempts. GMAC has removed the earlier 8-attempt lifetime limit, so there is now no lifetime limit. Anyone who has scored a perfect 805 must wait 5 years before testing again.Source: GMAT Exam Policies and Procedures (test center and online), Oct 2024 PDF· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Eligibility | You must be at least eighteen (18) years old to schedule and take the GMAT exam. Test takers aged thirteen (13) to seventeen (17) may take the exam at a test center if they give written proof of a parent's or guardian's consent before scheduling. GMAC sets no academic eligibility requirement.Source: GMAT Exam Policies and Procedures (test center and online), Oct 2024 PDF· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Score validity | 5 years. Candidates can send scores to programmes for up to five years after the exam, and Official Score Reports show every exam taken in the past 5 years.Source: GMAT Exam FAQs (GMAC, for schools)· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
What is the GMAT application fee?
| Test center - India | USD 275Source: GMAT vs GRE: Which should you choose? (GMAC, Apr 2026)· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
| Online exam (general price; GMAC says the exact cost varies slightly by location, and no India-specific online figure was retrievable) | USD 300Source: GMAT vs GRE: Which should you choose? (GMAC, Apr 2026)· last verified 11 Nov 2026 |
Which colleges accept GMAT?
| Institute | City | NIRF 2025 | Total fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMSOM (Ahmedabad University)P1 | Ahmedabad | Not in top 100 | ₹14,00,000source |
| CBS KolkataPGDM | Kolkata | Not in top 100 | ₹7,70,000source |
| EDIIPGDM-E | Gandhinagar | Not in top 100 | ₹13,95,000source |
| Great Lakes ChennaiP1 | Chennai | #37 | ₹22,50,000source |
| IBS HyderabadMBA | Hyderabad | #46 | ₹17,01,000source |
| IIEST Shibpur SOMSP1 | Howrah | Not in top 100 | ₹4,77,700source |
| IMI New DelhiPGDM | New Delhi | #40 | ₹23,54,000source |
| IMNU (Nirma)MBA | Ahmedabad | #53 | ₹13,17,000source |
| IMT GhaziabadP1 | Ghaziabad | #30 | ₹23,00,000source |
| IMT HyderabadPGDM | Hyderabad | #72 | ₹16,00,000source |
| IPE HyderabadPGDM | Hyderabad | Not in top 100 | ₹9,00,000source |
| ISB HyderabadPGP | Hyderabad | Not in top 100 | ₹34,48,000source |
| Jaipuria IndorePGDM | Indore | Not in top 100 | ₹13,50,000source |
| KJSIMMBA | Mumbai | #65 | ₹23,87,500source |
| MICAPGDM-C | Ahmedabad | #33 | ₹29,50,000source |
| Praxis KolkataPGDM | Kolkata | Not in top 100 | ₹11,00,000source |
| SoM-PDEUMBA | Gandhinagar | #89 | ₹14,20,000source |
| SPJIMRPGDM | Mumbai | #20 | ₹24,86,000source |
| WeSchoolPGDM | Mumbai | #75 | ₹14,00,000source |
| XLRIPGDM-BM | Jamshedpur | #10 | ₹30,60,000source |
Institutes the exam body names:
- Indian School of Business (ISB) - PGP
Frequently asked questions
When is GMAT?
Test dates: Year-round, on-demand (test center and online appointments), per the official notice. Check https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat-exam for changes.
What is the GMAT exam pattern?
GMAT has 3 sections: Quantitative Reasoning; Verbal Reasoning; Data Insights, 64 questions in all, in 135 minutes. Marking: Total score 205-805, and every total ends in 5. Each section is scored 60-90, and the three sections count equally toward the total. Each section score depends on the number of questions answered, whether the answers are correct, and the difficulty and other parameters of those questions. In Data Insights, every part of a multi-part question must be correct to earn credit. No negative marking per question is stated.
Who can take GMAT?
You must be at least eighteen (18) years old to schedule and take the GMAT exam. Test takers aged thirteen (13) to seventeen (17) may take the exam at a test center if they give written proof of a parent's or guardian's consent before scheduling. GMAC sets no academic eligibility requirement.
How long is a GMAT score valid?
5 years. Candidates can send scores to programmes for up to five years after the exam, and Official Score Reports show every exam taken in the past 5 years.
How are GMAT results used for admission?
Unofficial section and total scores appear right after the exam, and the Official Score Report follows, which the candidate sends to programmes. Schools that get scores electronically see them within about three weeks of the exam. Score reports list every exam from the past 5 years. Scores cancelled by GMAC carry notations (T, P or S) on the report. Across multiple attempts, GMAC's Superscore combines the best section scores into one score. There is no central counselling: each programme uses GMAT scores in its own admissions process, together with essays, academic history and interviews. For example, ISB requires a GMAT or GRE score but sets no minimum or cutoff.
Sources
Official documents used on this page, last checked on 12 Nov 2026.
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